Administration and Scoring of the WJ III Tests of Cognitive Abilities

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WJ IE
Woodcock-Johnson International EditionsTests of
Cognitive Abilities A Springboard into Future
PhDr. Anton Furman, CSc. Published by The
Woodcock-Muñoz Foundationwith permission by the
Riverside Publishing Company
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Woodcock-Johnson (WJ) History
1977 - First edition of the WJ published in the
United States 1989 - Revised edition of the WJ
published in the United States 1998 -
International Editions (IE) of the WJ introduced
in Latvia, Slovakia, Czech Republic,
and Hungary 2000 - Third Edition of the WJ
published in the United States 2003 - Slovak and
Hungarian Editions of the WJ published 2005 -
Latvian Edition of the WJ published 2006 - Czech
Edition planned TO DATE over 100 psychologists
trained in Slovakia 56
psychologists trained in Hungary
the Latvian trainers to be trained in the USA
in October 2005
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Some Unique Features of WJ Tests

• Theory- and research-based
• Operational representation of CHC theory
• Rasch analysis based scales
• IRT
• Equal intervals

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CHC Theory

• Combination of research by Raymond Cattell, John
  Horn, and John Carroll
• The independent works of Cattell, Horn, and
  Carroll are remarkably similar
• By mutual consensus, the integration of these
  independently derived theories was named CHC
  theory
• Multiple factor view of intelligence
• 7 CHC factors
• Broad and narrow abilities
• Measure of general intelligence or g

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CHC Cluster Factors
There are 69 narrow abilities identified to date
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Definitions of Seven CHC Broad Abilities Measured
by the WJ IE
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Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC)Theory
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Organization of the IE Tests
Full Scale Intellectual Ability (FSIA)
Verbal Ability (VA)
Thinking Ability (TA)
Cognitive Efficiency (CE)
6 Visual Matching (Gs)
7 Numbers Reversed (Gsm)
1A Picture Vocabulary (Gc)
1D Verbal Analogies (Gc, Gf)
2 Memory for Names (Glr)
4 Sound PatternsVoice (Ga)
5 Quantitative Reasoning (Gf, Gq)
1B Synonyms 1C Antonyms (Gc)
3 Spatial Relations (Gv)
Figure 1-1. Woodcock-Johnson International
Edition Tests of Cognitive Abilities tests and
clusters.
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Components of the WJ IE

• Test Battery made up of 7 tests
• Test 1 Verbal Comprehension - Test 3
  Spatial Relations
• 1A Picture Vocabulary - Test 4 Sound
  Patterns Voice
• 1B Synonyms - Test 5 Quantitative
  Reasoning
• 1C Antonyms - Test 6 Visual Matching
• 1D Verbal Analogies - Test 7 Numbers
  Reversed
• Test 2 Memory for Names
• Test Record
• Audio CD
• Computer Scoring disk

• Other materials needed for test administration
• CD player
• Headphones
• Stopwatch or clock with second hand
• Pencils

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Test Interpretation Levels

• FSIA
• Clusters
• Verbal Abilities
• Thinking Abilities
• Cognitive Efficiency
• Tests - Broad CHC Factors

• Clusters preferred level of interpretation
• - High reliability (2-4 tests/Narrow
  Abilities) composing the score
• FSIA equal weight of all tests
• Diagnostic Worksheet
• Qualitative analysis - checklist

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Latvian Sample

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Hungarian Sample
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Slovak Sample
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WJ IE Tests and Clusters
Verbal Ability

• Verbal Ability is the same as Test 1 Verbal
  Comprehension, which contains four subtests, each
  measuring a different aspect of language
  development
• (includes the comprehension of individual words
  and the relationship among words).
• Comprehension Knowledge (Gc) Test 1A Picture
  Vocabulary
• Comprehension Knowledge (Gc) Test 1B Synonyms
• Comprehension Knowledge (Gc) Test 1C Antonyms
• Comprehension Knowledge (Gc) and
• Fluid Reasoning (Gf) Test 1D Verbal
  Analogies

• Verbal Ability
• An important predictor of cognitive performance
  and school achievement especially when the
  performance requires oral LD.
• Words commonly used relationships gradually
  more complex

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WJ IE Tests and Clusters (continued)
Thinking Ability

• Thinking Ability represents a sampling of the
  different thinking processes that may be invoked
  when information cannot be processed
  automatically. The scale includes one test from
  each of the four thinking abilities
• Long-term retrieval (Glr) Test 2 Memory for
  Names
• Visual-spatial thinking (Gv) Test 3 Spatial
  Relations
• Auditory processing (Ga) Test 4 Sound Patterns -
  Voice
• Fluid reasoning (Gf) Test 5 Quantitative
  Reasoning

• Thinking Ability
• Includes Ga, a unique test not available in
  other batteries
• Memory for Names Learning task with feedback

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WJ IE Tests and Clusters (continued)
Cognitive Efficiency

• Cognitive Efficiency represents a sampling of two
  different factors of automatic cognitive
  processing. The scale includes
• Processing Speed (Gs) Test 6 Visual Matching
• Short-Term Memory (Gsm) Test 7 Numbers Reversed
  

• Cognitive Efficiency
• Speed Important indirect influence on higher
  thinking processes
• Working Memory Narrow Ability to measure Gsm
• Deficiencies in this area often present in
  learning disabled students

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WJ IE Types of Scores

• Raw Scores (number correct,
  number of points, or number of errors)
• Age Equivalents (reflects age level
  at which average score is same as subjects raw
  score)
• Relative Proficiency Index (RPI)
  (RPI0/90 to 100/90)
• Standard Scores (Mean100, SD15
  Range SS 0-200)
• Percentile Rank (Range PR1 to
  99)

• RPI Scores
• Criterion-based
• Rasch Analysis
• Equal intervals

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Uses of the WJ IE
The wide range and breadth of coverage allow the
tests to be used for educational, clinical, or
research purposes from early childhood to the
geriatric level. It is important to use results
from tests such as the WJ IE along with other
tests and information about an individual before
making decisions that have long-term implications.
Diagnoses
The WJ IE may be used to help determine and
describe the present status of an individuals
cognitive abilities, such as the identification
of possible weaknesses that may be interfering
with cognitive performance.
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Uses of the WJ IE (continued)
Program Placement

• WJ IE results may be used to aid in assembling
  students for special purposes, such as special
  education or gifted classes.
• Assessments can be made for occupational choices
  targeting specific skills, i.e., reasoning with
  numbers or verbal ability.

Assessing Growth

• The WJ IE provides a record of individual growth
  and change across a wide time span. The wide age
  range allows use of the WJ IE throughout an
  individuals lifetime.
• W scores rather than number correct scores are
  the preferred metric for use in statistical
  analyses.

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Uses of the WJ IE (continued)
Research

• Potential research possibilities
• Provides predictor and/or criterion measures in
  many kinds of studies.
• Wide age range allows longitudinal data.
• See Manual for additional information.

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What Some Users Say
Thanks to this test battery, I have acquired a
deeper insight and understanding of learning
disabilities and feel better prepared in talking
about it with the parents
(Anna M., A user from
Slovakia) I feel more confident in my
diagnostic work since I have started using WJ
IE.
(Alena J., A user from Slovakia)
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WJ IE
Prepared with generous help provided by Mary
Ruef, and Stephanie Glickman, Woodcock-Muñoz
Foundation